File-box



No. 627,|a9. Patented me 2o, |899. J. v. HEMSTREET.

FILE B0X."v

(Application led Feb. 14, 18 99.)

(No Model.)

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JOHN V. HEMSTREET, OF HERKIMER, NEV YORK.

FILE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,189, dated June 20, 1899.

Application filed February 14, 1899. Serial No. 705,476. (No model.)

To all whom tfno/y concern.:

Be it known that I, JOHN V. I'IEMSTREET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Herkimer, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in File-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to file-boxes for filing documents and papers of any kind, and while it is intended more particularly for use in connection with desks, yet it may be used with equal facility in a cabinet or case having cleats or suitable supports therefor.

The invention and its many advantages will appear from the following description and claims when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure lis a vertical sectional view of a part of a desk or case with two of my improved boxes also in section, one being illustrated in a closed and the other in an open position; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of o ne of the boxes removed from the desk or case.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A indicates a suitable case, which may be a desk or type-writer cabinet having compartments to receive the boxes. to slide in the case as a drawer.

As better shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, my improved box comprises a top wall a, a bottom b, sides c, and an end d, and also a pivoted or hinged front B. The box may be of the length,width, and depth usually employed in tile-boxes, and the body differs from those at present in use mainly in having the side walls extend beyond the forward edge of the bottom Wall, as shown at e. These extended side walls have straight vertical ends fand are rounded olf at their forward lower portions, as shown at g, for a purpose which will presently appear. The front B comprises a wall h, which is designed to serve the twofold function of a closure for the front of the box and an extension for the bottom thereof. In the present illustration I have shown this front as having two lateral branches i, which extend back on the outer sides of the side walls c and are pivoted thereto at the pointsj, so

that said front may be swung into a horizon- -tal and vertical position, respectively. When The boxes are intended 1 O, and a knob D or other grasp may be also attached to the front, so that the box may be slid in and out of a case as a drawer.

In pivoting the side branches t' of the Afront B on the outer sides of the side walls c the bottom should project laterally, as shown, or a suitable strip m secured to the box corresponding in width to the thickness of said side branches t', so that the box may fit snugly in the case and the branches offer no obstruction to the sliding movement therein. These, however, I regard as details to be used or not, according to the dictation of the manufacturers. In order to afford more ready access to papers contained in the box, the top wall may have its forward edge cut out in a curvilinear manner, as shown at n, or the top may be entirely left out, orhalf or more omitted, although I do not wish to confine myself to such feature of construction.

By making the wall 7c of the pivoted or hinged front slightly thicker than the bottom Z9 of the box it will be seen that whenasaid fron-t has been dropped or let down into a horizontal position the increased thickness will extend slightly below the under side of said bottom and will serve as a stop to the inward movement of the box while its contents are being examined.

In use it will be seen that the box need. not be removed from the casein order to examine its contents, as when the box has been drawn out a sufficient distance by dropping the front into a horizontal position said front will be entirely open or exposed, and in this position the wall which closed the. front will now form an extension or continuation of the bottom of the box, as better shown in'Fig. l of the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. A file-box having its side Walls extended beyond its bottom, and also having a front or lOO thereby, substantially as described.

lIO

2. A tile-box having its bottom cut away or of less length than the side walls, and also having a pivoted front arranged to swing into a horizontal position and occupy the cutaway portion of the bottom and be held in such position by contact With the under edges of the side walls, and also adapted to close the front of the box and be stopped in a vertical position by contact with the forward, vertical edges of the side Walls. 3. The le-box having 'its side walls eX-fv tended beyond the forward edge of the bot- 1 tom Wall as shown at e, and the extended walls having vertical edges as f and their lower portions rounded oif as at f, and the front wall h carrying the lateral branches t' which are pivoted to the extended portions j of the side walls, said front being adapted to swing both into a vertical and horizontal position so as to close the front of the box when in the vertical and occupy the space formed by having the bottom wall of less length than the side walls when in a horizontal position, substantially as specified.

4t. The combination with a suitable case; of a file-box having its bottom cut away or of less length than the side walls, and also having a front pivoted to the side walls so as to close the box when in a vertical position and occupy the cute'away portion of the bottom when in a horizontal position; said front being of a greater thickness than the bottom of the box and adapted when placed in a horizontal position to extend below said bottom and form a stop, substantially as specified.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN V. HEMSTREET ,Witnessesz IfL W. McKENzIE, FRANK E. PEL'roN. 

